Buying and moving to an island in Canada: Part 2, the cons Last week we talked about why you’d want to buy a Canadian island and move there, even if it’s only for part of the year. Surprisingly, island ownership is not out of reach for typical middle-class earners. Especially not so when considering the possibility of combined ownership. But after you buy the island, as Bloomberg so classically puts it, you’ll need to “figure out how you’re going to stay alive on the island.” And we dare say, it gets more difficult than just that! Let’s explore some cons of moving to an island, or owning one. Moving to an island usually means living without basic amenities, or building them yourself When you move to an island, a huge costly setback to your idealistic goal will likely be about building – and we’re not just talking about shelter. There is also water supply, electricity and even a toilet to think about. This is explained in more detail in the Bloomberg article mentioned above, and others. Here are some general things to know: Islands are isolated, so transporting building material to the site will be much more expensive than transporting to larger inhabited areas. Now imagine what a moving company would charge to ferry or fly in your furniture! (This isn’t the kind of place you’d want to helicopter in a grand piano, get where we’re going with this?) Even if you have the money, there can be environmental restrictions and regulations surrounding what you can and can not build on the site. Then, even without government laws or money being a setback,...

Buying and moving to an island in Canada: Part 1, the pros You may be surprised to hear that it’s possible to buy your own island. It sounds almost like a tale out of The Swiss Family Robinson. And you might wonder, ‘but why would I want to do THAT?’ Or, you may be thinking, ‘where do I sign up?’ Well, watching a show like Island Hunters can give some insight into what it’s like to go shopping for an island to buy. But scouring the Internet for ‘How to buy an island’ will tell you two sides to the story for AFTER you’ve moved in. The short end of it is that: Islands are not usually long-term living spots (not that they can’t be though!). Island can be cheaper than you’d think, for the initial investment. Islands come with a lot of living limitations and ongoing expenses. In this article, we’re going to discuss the pros of buying and moving to an island in Canada. Next week, we’ll delve into the cons, to help give you a balanced view of what it is like to own an island. Moving to an island can provide a personal sanctuary and a fun adventure According to one part owner of a Nova Scotia island, buying an island was about the feeling of sovereignty, and not so much about having a tropical getaway, as some may assume would be the only reason to own an island. He says about his choice to go North for island ownership that, “They may not fit the archetype of the tropical private island, but the climate wasn’t...